The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (196 page)

Christ comes accompanied by an army of redeemed believers whom he has made to be his kingdom (see 1:6).
²⁷⁰
The fact that he will rule over his domain with a scepter of iron indicates that he is the true messianic king (see Ps 2:9; Isa 11:4). The name engraved on his thigh attests that he is the supreme King and Lord over all (19:16; see 1:5; 17:14). Christ comes to wage a just war against the beast's kingdom to exact vengeance for the unjust war that he waged against believers (13:7). Two images from the inaugural vision of Christ reappear to denote judicial insight (blazing eyes) and pronouncements (sword out of mouth; see
4 Ezra
13:9-13).

Jesus is also depicted as the divine warrior whose robe is soaked with blood from treading the winepress of the fury of God's wrath.
²⁷¹
The blood on Jesus’ robe is that of his victims (see Isa 63:2—6). The great and final battle constitutes a slaughter that ends just as soon as it begins (19:17—21). The beast and the earth's kings amass their forces in a deluded attempt to attack the coming King (see 16:13—16).
²⁷²
Despite the boasts of the beast and the false prophet, they are quickly captured and tossed into the lake of fire (19:20); the rest die instantly at the spoken word of Christ (19:21). Christ thus effectively conquered all the kingdoms of the earth and subjected them to his own rule.

Theodicy
Theodicy pertains to the justification of God concerning “the seeming triumph of the wicked and the suffering of the innocent.”
²⁷³
The unfolding visions, therefore, illustrate the apocalyptic reality that while the righteous indeed suffer unjustly at the hands of the wicked, they will have their day in court when God's verdict results in a grand reversal of this present world order.

Theodicy represents an important theme in Revelation that conveys the justice and mercy of God.
²⁷⁴
The request of the martyrs directly addresses the question of justice: “O
Lord, holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” (6:10). This request for vindication echoes the sentiments of generations of God's servants who suffered unjustly while the wicked appeared to remain unpunished.

The OT features the same inquiry as to when God will take judicial action vindicating the mistreatment of his people (e.g., Pss 79:5—10; 94:1—3).
²⁷⁵
The concern is not why evil exists in the world or why Christians suffer in general but specifically why they are suffering as a consequence of their faithfulness to Christ and their obedience to the righteous requirements of God's law. John's visions seek to answer this query by demonstrating that God will render true justice in a world filled with evil and injustice.

The trial and sentencing of Babylon illustrate how the concern for justice intersects with God's answer to the martyrs’ plea for vindication. In 18:6—7a God decreed to judge Babylon based on her sins and crimes.
²⁷⁶
Some undesignated agents of God's vengeance (possibly glorified believers) will carry out the principle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”
(lex talionis)
and divine retribution.
²⁷⁷
The justice of the sentence is demonstrated in that each command stems as a direct result of Babylon's action.
²⁷⁸
Babylon unjustly condemned believers to death, and now God justly condemns her accordingly
²⁷⁹

Witness
The concept of “witness” has significant practical implications for the church (e.g., 1:2,5,9). Based on early church usage coupled with the close association between witness and execution in Revelation, some have argued that a martyrological connotation is intended in Revelation.
²⁸⁰
But many commentators reject the use of
martus
in the technical sense of a martyr.
²⁸¹
Since execution is always subsequent to the witness as a penalty,
one should separate death from the actual testimony of the witness (1:9; 2:13; 6:9; 11:7; 12:11; 20:4). Thus the witness terminology of the book is best understood as forensic declarations of what is true.

The book begins and ends with the affirmation that all that is recorded constitutes a testimony (1:2; 22:16,18,20). Jesus is twice called a “faithful witness” (1:5; 3:14); witness terminology is also applied to Antipas, who was executed because of his faith in Christ (2:13). The term
martyria
(“testimony”) occurs most often denoting the contents of the witness that was maintained.
²⁸²
Many of the instances of “testimony” are followed by persecution (1:9; 6:9; 11:7; 12:11; 20:4). Witness terminology occurs regularly throughout the book, demonstrating that this is a prominent theme especially as it pertains to the churches.

Christians should expect persecutions and hardships as a consequence of living for Christ. The reason believers are rejected is because they are citizens of God's kingdom (1:6; 5:10). Revelation envisions the eschatological consummation of Christ's kingdom (11:15; 12:10), which is placed in juxtaposition to the Satanic kingdom of this world (16:10; 17:12,17—18). As members of Christ's kingdom, believers are exhorted to endure unjust suffering because their vindication will come when Christ's kingdom is visibly established on earth. Thus endurance constitutes the chief virtue for believers during times of hardship and oppression (1:9; 2:2-3,19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12-13).

The testimony of faithful endurance in the face of unjust suffering also conveys an evangelistic concern, and the witness of believers is the prerequisite for the conversion of the nations.
²⁸³
At this climax of prophecy, suffering and martyrdom are placed in an eternal perspective, with Jesus serving as the prime witness and proto-martyr (1:5; 3:14; see 11:3; 14:6; 17:6; 19:11; 22:16,20). Thus “witness” terminology involves not mere indifference to the world's fate but the proclamation of a divine message (see 14:6). Exhortations to repent for five of the seven churches, or individuals in them, clearly indicate that the seer still allowed room for conversions (2:5,16,21-22; 3:3,19).
²⁸⁴

Worship of the One True God Versus Idolatry
The book of Revelation is supremely concerned with the difference between true and false worship.
²⁸⁵
One may unequivocally state that, except for Hebrews, Revelation is the most liturgical book of the NT.
²⁸⁶
When dealing with other religions, this book is extremely relevant regarding the nature and proper object of worship as well as regarding the meaning of martyrdom and the
believer's future hope. According to the author of Revelation, ultimately Satan himself stands behind the forces conspiring against Christians. Worship resides at the center of the battle between believers and Satan as it is played out in the arena of the imperial cult versus fidelity to Christ.

References to the imperial cult occur frequently in the latter half of the second vision (13:4,15-16; 14:9-11; 15:2; 16:2; see 20:4). John envisioned a time when the imperial cult escalates to a point of mandatory participation by all inhabitants of earth.
²⁸⁷
While not identical in every respect, there will be a future time of persecution that will involve the inappropriate worship of an earthly political ruler in a manner that is reminiscent of the imperial cult of ancient Rome. The term
proskyneō
(“worship”) is used in direct connection with the beast (13:4,8,12,15). It was also a term commonly employed in the imperial cult.
²⁸⁸
Christians refusing to bow down in worship to the beast incur his wrath and are summarily executed (13:15); they are also exhorted to remain faithful and true to Christ even if it results in death (2:10,13; 13:10; 14:12; 17:14). God will vindicate them by judging all those who worshipped the beast (14:9,11; 16:2).

The book of Revelation strongly promotes abstinence from all forms of idolatry because God is the only one worthy of worship (4:11; 5:2,4,9,12). Exclusive worship of God constitutes the major theological imperatives for Christians as well as all humanity (9:20; 14:7; 15:4; 19:10; 22:9). Revelation 19:10 is paralleled in 22:8-9 where the angel who refused to be worshipped identified himself as a “fellow servant” with John and with “your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
²⁸⁹
In the end, the dragon and all his followers will face God's righteous wrath because of their sin, their mistreatment of God's people, and their failure to worship God (18:19—24; 19:1-3,22:9).

The two final visions serve to contrast the fate of those who worship the beast with the glory awaiting the followers of the Lamb.
²⁹⁰
Christian commitment is not merely a system of beliefs to be upheld but an allegiance to be maintained in the face of constant opportunities for compromise. This is indeed a timely message in the post-Christian West at the beginning of the third millennium where (according to Francis Schaeffer's prophetic words) personal peace and affluence reign, even in segments of the evangelical subculture.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE CANON

• The worship of God and of Jesus Christ (e.g., chap. 4)
  
• The revelation of the future by the Lamb who was slain, the Lion of Judah (5:1—7)
  
• The need for uncompromising faithfulness to Christ through patient endurance (e.g., 14:12)
  
• The vindication of God's righteousness (theodicy) and of suffering believers for persecution by the hands of the unbelieving world (chaps. 6—18)
  
• The glorious return of Jesus as the supreme King and Lord (19:11—16)
  
• The millennial reign of Christ, the defeat of Satan, and the Great White Throne judgment (chap. 20)
  
• The restoration of all things in the new heaven and the new earth (chaps. 21-22)
  

Something to Think About:
What Goes Around Comes Around

M
any of us can identify with the experience of the psalmist who wrote, “But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Ps 73:2—3). Indeed, when we look at this world, hardworking teachers command only a basic salary
—
though they are trying to be content and make ends meet as best as they can
—
while celebrity athletes (and even those hardly known) make millions upon millions. Who can blame the psalmist for being tempted to envy the arrogant when he saw their prosperity? Does God care? How can he reward the arrogant and overlook the plight of those who fear him?

The problem with this analysis, of course, is that it is premature. Only fools arrive at a final determination of a matter without waiting for its ultimate outcome. This is where the book of Revelation comes in. In the sweep of biblical revelation, this book tells us what this final outcome is going to be from God's perspective. Many biblical interpreters believe that Revelation contains four visions (indicated by the phrase “in the Spirit” in 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; and 21:10): (1) the risen Christ and his message to the seven churches (chaps. 1—3); (2) the throne room vision (chaps. 4—16); (3) the prostitute Babylon (chaps. 17—20); and (4) the new Jerusalem (chaps. 21—22). It is no coincidence that of these four visions, the second one, which has to do with the judgment of the world, is by far the most extended; for the end is the time of God's judgment when all people will receive their due.

In graphic detail Revelation depicts the vindication of God's righteous purposes (called “theodicy,”from
theos,
“God,” a nd
dikaios,
“righteous”) and of believers, especially those martyred for their faith. This will also be the time when the arrogant and the wicked, those without Christ, will be judged, as well as Satan and his fallen angels. For this reason, as the angel in the last vision told the seer, “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy” (22:11 NIV), for in the end everyone will surely receive his just reward. For this reason let us not judge a matter before its end, and let us entrust ourselves to God who one day soon will make all things right: “’Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19, citing Deut 32:35).

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Who are the three major candidates for the authorship of Revelation? Who most likely wrote it?
   
2. What are the two major alternatives for the time of composition of Revelation?
   
3. What is the date favored by the internal evidence?
   
4. What is the date favored by the external evidence?
   
5. What are some of the major pieces of internal evidence that have a bearing on the date of writing of Revelation?
   
6. What were the occasion and purpose of the book of Revelation?
   
7. What is the definition of “Apocalypse,” and what are some of its accompanying traits?
   
8. How many visions are recorded in Revelation, and what is the phrase indicating a new vision?
   
9. What are the respective locations of these visions, and what is the range of chapters for each vision in the book of Revelation?
   
10. What are the three primary theories of relating the seals, trumpets, and bowls in Revelation?
    
11. What are four primary approaches to the study of the book of Revelation? Give a brief description of each in one or two sentences.
    
12. What contributions does Revelation make to the canon?
    

FOR FURTHER STUDY

Aune, D. E. “The Apocalypse of John and the Problem of Genre.”
Semeia
36 (1986): 65-96.

_________.
Revelation.
3 vols. Word Biblical Commentary 52. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, 1998.

Bandstra, A. J. “A Kingship and Priests: Inaugurated Eschatology in the Apocalypse."
Calvin Theological Journal'27(1992)
: 10-25.

Bauckham, R.
The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation.
London: T&T Clark, 1993.

_________.
The Theology of the Book of Revelation.
New Testament Theology. Cambridge: University Press, 1993.